How do you pick herbs like parsley or basil so they keep growing or do you get
only one growth?

"CVGam" wrote

How do you pick herbs like parsley or basil so they keep growing or do
you get
only one growth?

They are annuals. With parsley, I just cut what I need as I need it and
never bother to "harvest" the whole plant till fall.

With basil, you have to pinch back the flowers or it goes to seed and dies.
Again, I just pick the amount I need and let the plant go and pinch back a
couple of time a week.

Loki

On Mon, 30 Jun 2003 00:41:33 -0500, "loki"
wrote:

"CVGam" wrote

How do you pick herbs like parsley or basil so they keep growing or do
you get
only one growth?

They are annuals. With parsley, I just cut what I need as I need it and
never bother to "harvest" the whole plant till fall.

With basil, you have to pinch back the flowers or it goes to seed and dies.
Again, I just pick the amount I need and let the plant go and pinch back a
couple of time a week.

Let me be the first among many to say that basil is an annual; parsley
is biennial -- it flowers and goes to seed the 2nd year.

For how to pick basil, see the thread on "harvesting basil" that's
been going on here for the past 10 days or more.

For parsley, just as Loki says, pick what you need. Although I've
never heard of "harvesting" the plant in fall. In moderate climates,
it will survive and be a source of fresh green leaves in winter,
although it won't grow much.

On 30 Jun 2003 02:29:12 GMT, (CVGam) wrote:

How do you pick herbs like parsley or basil so they keep growing or do you get
only one growth?

Depends on the herb. With basil, I harvest it all at the end of the
season, dry it in a dehydrator, and store it in a jar. You can get
two pickings by taking only half the leaves in mid-summer. Parsley
survives the (mild) winters here so I use it for making winter-time
soups. The parsley survives one winter, then bolts to seed the
following summer and reseeds itself. Rosemary, sage, thyme, and
lavender stay green all year.

"Frogleg" wrote

Let me be the first among many to say that basil is an annual; parsley
is biennial -- it flowers and goes to seed the 2nd year.

True, but I didn't want to get that into it. I've had parsley that was in
it's
second year, but I dont like it as well so I just grow it as an annual.

For how to pick basil, see the thread on "harvesting basil" that's
been going on here for the past 10 days or more.

For parsley, just as Loki says, pick what you need. Although I've
never heard of "harvesting" the plant in fall. In moderate climates,
it will survive and be a source of fresh green leaves in winter,
although it won't grow much.

Well, that's pretty much what I mean. I just cut the plant back before
it gets seriously nasty in late Nov or early Dec. I call it harvesting
because I don't leave it in the ground for the second year.

Loki

On Mon, 30 Jun 2003 18:01:08 -0500, "loki"
wrote:

"Frogleg" wrote

Let me be the first among many to say that basil is an annual; parsley
is biennial -- it flowers and goes to seed the 2nd year.

True, but I didn't want to get that into it. I've had parsley that was in
it's
second year, but I dont like it as well so I just grow it as an annual.

For how to pick basil, see the thread on "harvesting basil" that's
been going on here for the past 10 days or more.

For parsley, just as Loki says, pick what you need. Although I've
never heard of "harvesting" the plant in fall. In moderate climates,
it will survive and be a source of fresh green leaves in winter,
although it won't grow much.

Well, that's pretty much what I mean. I just cut the plant back before
it gets seriously nasty in late Nov or early Dec. I call it harvesting
because I don't leave it in the ground for the second year.

"Didn't want to get into"? Well, different strokes...

I agree that 2nd year parsley is of limited utility for culinary
purposes (how did I get to sound like an encyclopaedia?) However,
since it over-winters in many climates, it's at least worth leaving in
the ground 'til springl. I *try* to start new plants each year, and
letting the older ones go to seed makes it a fairly automatic process.

I don't understand "seriously nasty". I have happily brought in
parsley springs from snow-covered plants in January. It's a lot easier
to "preserve" them on the plant than to "cut back" and "harvest" in
the fall. YMMV.

"Frogleg" wrote

I agree that 2nd year parsley is of limited utility for culinary
purposes (how did I get to sound like an encyclopaedia?) However,
since it over-winters in many climates, it's at least worth leaving in
the ground 'til springl. I *try* to start new plants each year, and
letting the older ones go to seed makes it a fairly automatic process.

Well, this year I'm gardening in Louisiana for the first time and I'll
try this there. It never worked for me in St. Louis for whatever
reason.

I don't understand "seriously nasty". I have happily brought in
parsley springs from snow-covered plants in January. It's a lot easier
to "preserve" them on the plant than to "cut back" and "harvest" in
the fall. YMMV.

Seriously nasty here means ice storms. Little survives those unless
it's woody and strong.

Loki

(CVGam) wrote in message ...
How do you pick herbs like parsley or basil so they keep growing or do you get
only one growth?

It requires careful study of witchcraft. I recommend doing it under
the full moon, skyclad, while on the phone with a Kirby salesman and
chanting something about using a broom instead.

-
theoneflasehaddock

"loki" wrote in message ...
"CVGam" wrote

How do you pick herbs like parsley or basil so they keep growing or do
you get
only one growth?

They are annuals. With parsley, I just cut what I need as I need it and
never bother to "harvest" the whole plant till fall.

With basil, you have to pinch back the flowers or it goes to seed and dies.
Again, I just pick the amount I need and let the plant go and pinch back a
couple of time a week.


With Parsely, I prefer to not give out my name or address. Nothing
personal, but he's nuts.

"theoneflasehaddock" wrote in message
m...
(CVGam) wrote in message
...
How do you pick herbs like parsley or basil so they keep growing or
do you get
only one growth?

It requires careful study of witchcraft. I recommend doing it under
the full moon, skyclad, while on the phone with a Kirby salesman and
chanting something about using a broom instead.

I can't believe you're promoting the slaughter of these helpless plants.

"Parse Tree" wrote in message
.. .
"theoneflasehaddock" wrote in message
m...
(CVGam) wrote in message
...
How do you pick herbs like parsley or basil so they keep growing or
do you get
only one growth?

It requires careful study of witchcraft. I recommend doing it under
the full moon, skyclad, while on the phone with a Kirby salesman and
chanting something about using a broom instead.

I can't believe you're promoting the slaughter of these helpless plants.

Well, see, to the Goddess all life is the same.. grin

Loki ducking and running whilst casting protection spells

On Tue, 1 Jul 2003 17:13:24 -0500, "loki"
wrote:

"Frogleg" wrote

I agree that 2nd year parsley is of limited utility for culinary
purposes (how did I get to sound like an encyclopaedia?) However,
since it over-winters in many climates, it's at least worth leaving in
the ground 'til springl. I *try* to start new plants each year, and
letting the older ones go to seed makes it a fairly automatic process.

Well, this year I'm gardening in Louisiana for the first time and I'll
try this there. It never worked for me in St. Louis for whatever
reason.

I do live in a milder climate than St. Louis. My first year here, I
treasured a smallish parsley plant outside my back door. Even though
it grew little (if at all), I had fresh, green leaves for
cooking/garnish. I'm sure it'll over-"winter" in Louisiana.

I don't understand "seriously nasty". I have happily brought in
parsley springs from snow-covered plants in January. It's a lot easier
to "preserve" them on the plant than to "cut back" and "harvest" in
the fall. YMMV.

Seriously nasty here means ice storms. Little survives those unless
it's woody and strong.

I misread. I thought you meant the *parsley* got nasty. :-) Well,
you're going to have a lot of new gardening experiences. Good luck.